


Through the Mistcurtain

by donutsweeper



Category: Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Flash Fic, Gen, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-07-12
Packaged: 2020-06-26 18:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19773676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutsweeper/pseuds/donutsweeper
Summary: Holmes and Watson discover their case might alter the relationship between the human and fae realms forever.





	Through the Mistcurtain

It was rare that I had occasion to venture to Old Town, rarer still that the opportunity came in the height of summer, no less in the middle of the day. The City was vibrant and alive in ways that I, the simple medico that I am, never failed to find invigorating. One had to be careful, of course; it was too easy to run afoul of hexes, curses, brigands, and hedge witches not to mention cutpurses, criminals, thieves and general trouble of the more mundane variety, but it was well worth the risk for the sheer energy abound in every cobblestone that seeped into those who strode across them with every step.

Holmes, being who he was, was less affected than I. Despite the long passage of time since its original founding, the Rules of Court still applied so, by all customs and laws, Holmes should never cross the ley line boundary without first obtaining Rights of Passage but he had never been a man to worry over such 'minor quibbles' as he deemed them and enough realmcrossers owed him favours the constabulary - both constabularies - looked the other way and allowed him to come and go as he pleased.

The reason for today's visit would have sounded innocuous to one unaware of thousands of years of diplomacy and careful negotiation. A brooch was missing and feared stolen. Was that all, one might ask. Was it large? Overly ornate? Covered in precious gems? No? Then why all the fuss? It would take some time, and, frankly, was not my place, to explain the enormous ceremonial value of that particular piece of jewelry and few were aware that it could be used to tie a human-borne prince to a fey-borne princess together with a bond strong enough that the resulting magic of their union would leech into Old Town's foundation to keep it strong for years to come.

"Step lively, Watson, we mustn't tarry!" Holmes cried, moving at a clip that belied the care it took to step surely on the unevenly laid street and avoiding the mortar seams.

"Blast it, Holmes, I am moving as fast as I am able to do so carefully!" Outside of Old Town the spellwork that damaged my leg at Maiwand was a subtle twinge, but inside its boundaries? The ambient magic affected it and my cane was no longer a mere fashion accessory. A little limp was well worth the experience so I never failed to follow my friend when he had business within it, but it would have made for a nice change if said friend remembered I was, at times, not as mobile as he.

Thus chastised, Holmes slowed enough I was able to place my feet without the worry of breaking custom by treading upon a crack. "I spoke to the ferrymen," he began, referring to those who could be hired to illegally navigate the crossings via the use of mistcurtain as opposed to the safer, although less surreptitious, pathways one usually used to travel between realms. "They spoke of a broken promise."

"A human broke a promise to a fey?" I was unable to hide my surprise; fey were notorious for their swift and exacting retribution when a human dared leave a promise unfulfilled. 

"No." Holmes leant close as he spoke, and it was only that I knew him so well that I could see how his eyes shone with the excitement of a case worthy of his great mind. "It was the fey who shattered their pledge."

"But that," I began, stumbling over my words at the sheer enormity of what he had said, "that is unheard of. The rebound of such a thing…."

"The current regent remains in power only until the princess comes into her power."

There was no telltale rule as to when a fey's power might manifest itself, but the consummation of a wedding night was all but a guarantee for its awakening. "But to break their word; would that not seriously damage the very root from which binds their kingdom to the human realm?"

"Yes, but that is only an issue if the do not fear the reprisals that would result if that attachment fractured."

"How could they not?" I ask as Holmes guided me between two brick buildings and into the hae-alley that existed between them.

"What if their aim was to sever all ties to humanity? Can you imagine the energy released if every bond and oath was snapped at once?"

My mind spun as I considered the ramifications. "Holmes," I breathed.

"Never fear, dear Watson, the brooch is spelled so that it cannot be destroyed and a piece imbued with such importance will not appreciate being hidden. I have no doubt I shall be able to deduce its whereabouts before the ceremony is set to begin!" With a twist of the wrist he pulled back a mistcurtain. "Come, Watson, the game is afoot!"

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a flashfic for [](https://watsons-woes.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**watsons_woes**](https://watsons-woes.dreamwidth.org/). Although it's possible I might revisit this universe, it's unlikely.


End file.
